Brittney Griner's legacy intact, despite Baylor's Sweet 16 loss

Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) dunks as Florida State players try to defend in their second-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament in Waco, Texas.The Associated Press

For Baylor senior center Brittney Griner, a 2013 NCAA national championship would have been the icing on the cake in her stellar career. Though that was not to be, thanks to a stunning NCAA Tournament upset by Louisville, the three-time Associated Press All-American still maintains her place as one of the best - if not the very best - women's college basketball player to grace the court, as several of the game's former stars agree.

Dominant in the post, highly skilled, and redefining the game are just a few terms all-time greats use to describe Griner, a 6-foot-8 terror who holds NCAA career records in dunks (14) and blocks (721). Nancy Lieberman, a Basketball Hall of Famer and two-time national champion at Old Dominion, said Griner has ascended the all-time ranks because she makes everyone around her better.

"Thousands have played this game over time, but very few players change the game at the highest level," Lieberman said. "The fact that she’s changing the game is something special, and we should never lose sight of that."

Her ability to protect the rim on defense sets her apart, Lieberman added. Her footwork, mobility and athleticism lead to her startling statistical success, but even in defeat, Griner brings an intangible to the court that no one has surpassed.

Lieberman compared Griner's shot-blocking success to that of former Kentucky forward and current New Orleans Hornet Anthony Davis, the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft - a fate almost certain for Griner in the WNBA draft.

"Not only does she protect the rim, but there’s no stat for getting in somebody’s head and making somebody scared or embarrassed to have their shot blocked," Lieberman said. "That’s what she does to players — she takes away their hope before they even get to the front of the rim. She makes you a highlight on TV for the wrong reasons ... very much like Anthony Davis at Kentucky. He blocked more 3-point shots than any big player I’d ever seen."

Staying healthy has helped Griner cement her legacy both at Baylor and in college basketball. She's started all 148 games in which she's played, scoring in double figures in all but two, with a career average of 22.2 ppg.

Former Connecticut center Rebecca Lobo, who led the Huskies to their first national championship in 1995 and was the youngest player on the 1996 U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team, said the impact of remaining injury-free can't be overstated.

"Not many players make it through four years without some type of injury keeping them out of a game," Lobo said. "I'm sure the Phoenix Mercury (the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft) hope that trend continues.

"Is (Griner) the best? I struggle with that because there have been so many outstanding women to play the game over the years. But there is no question that she's been the most dominant."

South Carolina women's basketball Coach Dawn Staley also played on that 1996 Olympic team. Staley said Griner will encounter new challenges at the next level of her career in the WNBA and Olympic team, such as stronger opponents.

In 2012, Griner was the lone collegiate player to be selected for the USA Basketball squad, which also won the gold medal, but she withdrew to attend summer classes.

"There will be some transition because the WNBA and Olympic Games are much more physical basketball," Staley said. "The challenges will be a little bit different because you’ll have people who may not be her size but probably will be shape-wise a little bit stronger than she is. So they’ll do some things to give her different looks and kind of take away some of the things she does well. Once she’s able to figure it out, I think she’ll have the same type of success."

Especially after Griner's Baylor career came to a screeching halt in the Sweet 16, she'll certainly be ready for a taste of success.